Sony Corporation

Sony Group Corporation

Saturn Licensing LLC

Other

Sony Electronics Inc

Mahyar Nejat

Brant L Candelore

Peter Rae Shintani

Robert Winston Blanchard

Ikuo J Sanwo

William Clay

Hiroshi Takano

Hoda Sayyadinejad

Arturo Jordan

Jean-Robert Clerge

A noise cancelation override system is provided to enables a listener to consume audio content using noise cancelation technology without concern that the listener will miss external noises that require attention. The override system identifies external noise in the environment of the listener that is in need of the attention of the listener and overrides an activated noise canceling mode of a personal listening device. Signals and data from the environment of the listener are collected by microphone(s) and/or sensor(s) of the override system to assess various external noises for attention features. In some instances, an attention feature may be associated with characteristic(s) of the listener and/or environmental characteristics of the location of the listener.

Responsive noise cancelation override

An audio playback system is provided to facilitate adaptive output of audio content, such as spoken word content, by an audio player in response to detecting noise interferences such as external noise outside of the playback system and/or a noise indicator that external noise is about to occur. The playback system utilizes a natural skip back point found in the audio content for playback when audio content is disrupted by external noise. Content features are used to determine the skip back point in the audio content. The audio content is replayed from such a skip back point in a manner that provides a smooth transition to pre-played content and enables a listener to follow the content. Detection of multiple interfering noises within a condensed period of time are addressed to limit redundant and time consuming playbacks.

Audio skip back response to noise interference

A noise detecting playback system is provided to facilitate adaptive output of audio content by an audio player in response to detecting noise interferences such as external noise outside of the playback. The detection playback system assesses microphone signals and sensor data of the playback system for signs of attention requiring features to trigger playback of the audio content. Microphone signals may provide volume level of a particular external noise, which is contrasted with output volume of the audio content, other noises in the environment, and/or a lack of detected noise in the environment to determine that the particular external noise is interfering or potentially interfering with the audio content. Image sensor data of the surroundings of the listener acquired by a camera coupled to a personal listening device may also be assessed for attention features associated with an external noise.

Noise detection for skip back of audio

A method for providing selectivity to a speech-to-text system operates a voice transcription assistant coupled to the speech-to-text system such that speech detected by the speech-to-text system is not transcribed into text for display to a user unless the voice transcription assistant determines that the detected speech is relevant to the user. Smart glasses, including at least one microphone, a speech-to-text processing unit, a display, and a voice transcription assistant, provide selective speech-to-text functionality. The voice transcription assistant has one or more processors; and logic encoded in one or more non-transitory media for execution by the one or more processors and when executed operable to prevent the speech-to-text processing unit providing text to the display in response to the reception of speech by the microphone unless the logic determines that the received speech is relevant to the user.

Selective speech-to-text for deaf or severely hearing impaired

A method for receiving an alarm sound at a hearing aid including the steps of: receiving sound at a hearing aid, wherein the sound is an alarm; determining a type of alarm; and generating a notification based on the type of alarm.

Hearing aid for alarms and other sounds

To enable a person to quickly and easily establish an audio profile for a TV, speaker, or other audio device, an audio profile is downloaded to the TV or speaker (and stored, if desired). The profile in the recipient device can be one of many that can be interchanged quickly on-the-fly. A voice assistant may enable the person to pick an audio profile from a list of audio profiles or user interface, either on the TV or the device the profile was created on. Using either method, voice assistant or UI, the profile can be downloaded from a mobile or PC device where the profile was created, or from the cloud where a previously created profile was uploaded and stored. A dual UI using voice and visual on-screen options makes the profiles accessible to most people.

Quick and easy audio profile creation and use

Implementations generally relate to hearing aids. In some implementations, a method includes receiving outside sound at a hearing aid. The method further includes amplifying the outside sound. The method further includes generating an in-ear announcement. The method further includes providing the in-ear announcement, wherein the in-ear announcement is at a higher volume level than the outside sound.

Hearing aid in-ear announcements

A hearing aid includes a microphone, and a processing unit. The microphone is configured to receive sound incident on the hearing aid and deliver a corresponding microphone output to the processing unit. The processing unit is configured to process the microphone output to determine whether the incident sound comprises potentially harmful sound, and to generate a processor output including a processed version of the microphone output. A method of protecting a hearing aid wearer from sudden loud sounds uses a microphone in the hearing aid to receive incident sound and deliver a corresponding microphone output to a processing unit in the hearing aid. The processing unit processes the microphone output to generate a first processor output, determined by whether the incident sound includes potentially harmful impulsive sound, and a second processor output including a processed version of the microphone output.

Hearing aids providing protection against sudden loud sounds

Provided is an electronic device that captures a first image of a user. The electronic device determines a position of eye gaze of the user on a first UI element of a plurality of UI elements displayed on a first display screen of the electronic device, based on the first image. The electronic device selects the first UI element based on a determination of the position of the eye gaze on the first UI element for a time interval. The electronic device transmits a first control signal to a media display device, based on the selection of the first UI element. The electronic device receives a feedback image from the media display device. The feedback image indicates control of the media display device based on the first control signal. The electronic device controls the first display screen to display the feedback image with the plurality of UI elements.

Media display device control based on eye gaze

A media rendering device and method for reproduction control of scene description is provided. The media rendering device retrieves media content that includes a set of filmed scenes and text information. The text information includes video description information and timing information. The video description information describes a filmed scene in the set of filmed scenes. The media rendering device further extracts the timing information to reproduce the video description information from the text information of the filmed scene. The media rendering device further controls the reproduction of the video description information in either a textual representation or in a textual and audio representation at a first-time interval indicated by the extracted timing information of the filmed scene.

Reproduction control of scene description

A media control device is provided. The media control device includes a first output port and a second output port. The media control device receives a user input indicative of disability information of a user. Further, the media control device controls the first output port to output a first audio portion of media content. The media control device further retrieves a second audio portion which describes a first image portion of the media content based on the received user input. The first image portion is associated with the first audio portion. The media control device further controls the second output port to output the first audio portion and the second audio portion based on the received user input.

Multiple output control based on user input

An electronic apparatus and method for enhancement of audio for users with a hearing impairment in a shared listening environment is provided. The electronic apparatus receives first audio content from a media source and detects a first user with a hearing disability as a wearer of the personal listening device. The electronic apparatus modifies one or more features of the first audio content based on an audio enhancement profile associated with the detected first user. Thereafter, the electronic apparatus generates second audio content based on the modification and shares the generated second audio content with the personal listening device.

Audio enhancement for hearing impaired in a shared listening environment

An electronic device includes circuitry, firmware, and software that determines identification information associated with a first performer-of-interest at a live event and retrieves a first set of audio tracks from a plurality of audio tracks based on the determined identification information. The circuitry receives a first audio segment associated with the first performer-of-interest from an audio capturing device. The circuitry compares a first audio characteristic of the first audio segment with a second audio characteristic of a first audio portion of each of the first set of audio tracks. The circuitry determines a first audio track based on the comparison between the first audio characteristic and the second audio characteristic. The circuitry identifies a start position of the first audio track based on the first audio segment associated with the first audio track. The circuitry controls a display of the first lyrics information of the first audio track.

Audio track determination based on identification of performer-of-interest at live event

Implementations generally relate to improving accessibility for digital devices. In some implementations, a method includes receiving a first selection of at least one button of a plurality of buttons of a user interface. The method further includes determining a type of the first selection based on one or more button selection characteristics. The method further includes determining a first command based at least in part on the type of the first selection. The method further includes providing an audible indication corresponding to the first command, wherein the audible indication indicates button information.

Accessibility for digital devices

A display system includes a display device and a server. The server receives a plurality of audio segments from a plurality of audio-capture devices. The server receives a user-input that corresponds to a selection of a first user interface (UI) element that represents a first performer-of-interest or a first audio-capture device attached to the first performer-of-interest. The server detects a second performer-of-interest associated with a second audio-capture device within a threshold range of the first audio-capture device. The server extracts a first audio segment of a first vocal deliverance of the first performer-of-interest and a second audio segment of a second vocal deliverance of the second performer-of-interest. The server deduces new caption information from a first verbatim text that is common between the first audio segment and the second audio segment and controls display of the new caption information on the display device.

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Mahyar Nejat